Four Delicate Offenders – CH 011

Chapter 11. Your Achievements Are Half Mine.

Jiang Heng quickly returned the greeting, adopting a courtly tone, and, considering the current situation in Youzhou, said with deep concern, “Having suffered such a natural disaster, the Emperor immediately dispatched the Governor to Youzhou to oversee disaster relief upon receiving the report. I’ve heard that the Governor has not had a proper rest for three days and three nights; he has truly worked tirelessly.”

The Duke of Wei, being a descendant of imperial nobility, spoke unlike the affected manner of officials. His composure stemmed from a confident demeanor, and his refined manner even made his tone gentler than most.

“I am the governor of Youzhou, and with the disaster in Youzhou, it is my duty to provide disaster relief. Marquis Jiang, you only returned to Youzhou today, right? The city has been under renovation for three days and is much better than before. If you had returned two days earlier, you probably would not have been able to ride into the city.” He always spoke with a slight smile, gesturing as he walked. “I happened to have something to discuss with Marquis Jiang, and since you’ve arrived, let’s speak in the inner quarters.”

Jiang Heng agreed, tucking his hands behind his back and taking a slight step back. Only after the man had passed did he quickly follow.

To be honest, he rarely interacted with this duke. Although they were both officials in the same court, there were barriers between different ranks. For example, the titles bestowed upon them through merit or marriage were different from those of a legitimate duke. The Duke of Wei’s father, the late Prince Zhongxian of Liang, was a brother of the current Emperor. Those of them, being relatives through many connections, could not compare in terms of wealth or status.

However, this person was warm and approachable and did not consider himself superior due to his noble status. Even those with whom he had only exchanged nods of acquaintance sat down for a serious conversation, his words and actions displaying remarkable humility and self-restraint.

His attendant served him tea, and after they were seated, the Duke of Wei said, “I do not come to Youzhou often; my position as governor is merely a nominal one. The disaster relief efforts a couple of days ago were assisted by the prefect, and the distribution of official grain in the city went smoothly. The other day, I received instructions from the capital to open a Jetavana in the south of the city to shelter disaster victims. With people gathering from all over, the demand for food and medicine has increased significantly. Judging from the current reserves in the city, it’s probably a drop in the bucket, and we will need to draw supplies from nearby prefectures. Marquis Jiang, as the prefect of Youzhou’s military government, could you consider which troops from the prefecture’s army to send to Puyang to provide support? Or perhaps the military granaries have surplus supplies to provide for a couple of days, relieving the immediate crisis?”

Jiang Heng responded with an “Oh,” and said, “Please rest assured, Your Grace, I will handle this matter. There’s a small granary in Hualin that serves as a supply depot for the Lulong army. Yes, please allow me to discuss it with the commander. We can open the small granary as an emergency measure, enough to last three to five days.”

The Duke of Wei was satisfied and said with a smile, “Our Imperial Guard and the Lulong Army belong to two separate armies. Some things are difficult to say directly, and we need someone to mediate. After much thought, I think only Marquis Jiang is a suitable candidate. I will trouble Marquis Jiang to make the trip.”

Jiang Heng quickly smiled apologetically. “It’s my duty to share the burden of the court, and I have no reason not to do my best.” He then sighed, “Originally, these matters should not trouble Your Grace. I should have gone straight to the army upon my return, but unfortunately, something happened at home, and my mind is foggy. I cannot think of anything else right now.”

His face was full of worry, as if the sky had fallen, which made the Duke of Wei somewhat suspicious.

“What difficulties has Marquis Jiang encountered? If there is anything I can do to help, please do not hesitate to ask.”

Although it was just a polite remark, it greatly moved Jiang Heng. He thanked the governor profusely, then said dejectedly, “It’s my daughter… she unfortunately… perished in the earthquake. My family is busy with the funeral arrangements, and we’ve inevitably neglected our official duties…”

Upon hearing this, the Duke of Wei deeply sympathized with Jiang Heng’s plight and offered his condolences, saying, “Marquis Jiang, please accept my deepest condolences.” Remembering that on the day of the earthquake, he had personally escorted the young lady of a founding marquis to the capital, he casually asked, “I remember there were three young ladies in the Jiang household. Which one perished?”

Speaking of this, Jiang Heng could not help but feel sorrow. Although his children were all his flesh and blood, there was a difference between legitimate and illegitimate children, and Si Si was his first daughter. He could still vividly remember the joy of becoming a father for the first time. After raising her for sixteen years, it all came to nothing. His eyes reddened, and he lowered them to compose himself before saying, “It was my eldest daughter who was killed. Sadly, her mother passed away last year, and now this has happened again…”

After he finished speaking, he could not help but cover his face and weep. The Duke of Wei, opposite him, fell silent, remaining silent for a long time.

In official circles, private matters were usually discussed only briefly, mainly when one’s mind was clouded. For example, the fact that disaster relief funds were far less than others should be understandable. Jiang Heng quickly wiped away his tears, rolling up his sleeves to wipe his eyes. “I lost my composure; please forgive me, Your Grace.”

The Duke of Wei, being very understanding, said gently, “It’s alright, Marquis Jiang, I understand your grief at losing your beloved daughter. The dead cannot be brought back to life; Marquis Jiang should try to pull himself together and not grieve too much, lest he harm his health.” He paused, then asked, “Was your daughter killed in the earthquake? Was she unable to escape the house in time?”

Jiang Heng lowered his head, knelt, and said, “I think she panicked during the earthquake; by the time she thought to run, it was too late.”

The Duke of Wei nodded. “Indeed… It’s truly regrettable. This natural disaster is a once-in-a-century event, affecting even the surrounding counties. Many people were caught off guard and missed their chance to evacuate. But fate is unavoidable; Marquis Jiang, please try to accept it.”

Jiang Heng nodded, forcing a smile. “Your Grace is busy with official duties, and I even mentioned my personal matters to you; that was inappropriate of me. I will take care of the matters you previously entrusted to me. No matter what, family matters are not as important as the well-being of the people in the city. Once I have discussed it with the commander of the Lulong Army, I will immediately send someone back to the yamen to inform Your Grace.”

The Duke of Wei said, “Good,” stood up to see him off, and Jiang Heng said, “Please stay,” before hurrying towards the door.

After Jiang Heng’s figure receded into the distance, his smiling eyes gradually cooled. He turned and instructed his servant, “Take my visiting card to the Duke of Shu’s residence and inquire about the Duke and his wife’s well-being. Also, confirm with the Duchess whether the eldest daughter of the Founding Marquis has been safely delivered to the residence.”

The servant acknowledged the order and quickly went out to carry it out.

***

In the backyard of the Duke of Shu’s residence, Yunpan was instructing Meifen to prepare the Han Weigong’s Plum Incense.

This incense had many ingredients; the initial preparation mainly involved grinding cloves, turmeric, and musk into powder.

The two sat by the window, not relying on the maids, each holding a stone mortar and pestle, grinding with a resounding clang.

The wind blowing in from outside the window gradually filled the air with a bit of muggy heat, making a warm flush on their faces. The two girls changed into light, flowing skirts, their delicate, half-sleeved garments swaying in the breeze. They frequently checked the fineness of the powder in the stone mortar, grinding it more patiently if needed. The spring blossoms and autumn moonlight of their boudoirs flowed slowly by amidst the soft, rhythmic grinding.

“The market in Youzhou only opens every five days. I heard there’s no such restriction in the capital. Have you ever gone out, Sister?”

Meifen’s contentment was almost incomprehensible. She shook her head, saying no. “The market is crowded and chaotic. You do not know who is coming from where. What if they are bad people?”

Yunpan chuckled. “The capital is under the Emperor’s nose. Imperial guards are patrolling the whole city. Where would so many bad people come from? I passed through the market the other day, and it was very lively outside. When you are in the mood, Sister, let’s go for a walk.”

But Meifen just shook her head… “No, there’s nothing urgent; why go out?”

Yunpan said, “To buy some trinkets, like spices or something.”

“We have everything at home,” Meifen refused without hesitation. “Even if we are missing something, we can just send someone to buy it. Why bother going myself?”

Yunpan was acting on her aunt’s orders, intentionally trying to get Meifen to go out. As her aunt said, “These days, who hides away in their chambers?” But Meifen seemed rooted to the spot, never stepping outside the mansion, not even attending a single spring banquet for noble ladies in the capital.

This greatly worried Lady Ming. It was no easy task to be the legitimate daughter of a noble family. Most people thought that as long as they were pampered and indulged, their lives would be complete, but that was a misconception.

Whether in the capital or Youzhou, noble ladies bore unseen responsibilities from birth. Attending those banquets around the age of ten was not just for fun but also to network with more women from official families.

Noble families had their own circles, and the future husbands were generally from families of similar social standing. The noble families of the capital were like a vast net, interconnected and interdependent. Besides the men’s political maneuvering, the wives’ domestic affairs were crucial.

“My contribution is half your achievements,” as the saying goes. Which man did not hope to marry a wife who could manage the household and lend him a helping hand? A girl like Meifen, who only knew how to stay in her courtyard reading and making incense, was not a man’s first choice. The initial engagement to the Duke of Wei was entirely due to the relationship between the late Grand Princess of Pingyao and the Duke of Wei’s grandmother, Lady Hu. However, as time went on, Meifen’s reclusive nature and lack of social skills became apparent. If it were not for the fact that the engagement was already made and could not be reversed, given the Duke of Wei’s current social standing, there would be no way he would have married Meifen.

Therefore, it was necessary to try to get Meifen to become more active. Lady Ming tried many methods to get her out into the world and see her shortcomings, but to no avail. Now that Yunpan had arrived, Lady Ming had high hopes for her, hoping that with Yunpan’s company, Meifen would come alive. However, no matter how Yunpan invited her, Meifen remained slow and unresponsive, which made Yunpan somewhat worried. Meifen’s reclusive behavior was indeed a bit abnormal.

“How about we bring a few more people and go out in a carriage? Sister, if you do not want to get out, you can just look out the window.”

Yunpan calmly persuaded Meifen while taking out some dried powdered spices to make the incense. After mixing it well, she added musk, then turned to Meifen and smiled, “I’ve come to the capital, and I really want to go out and explore, but I am too embarrassed to trouble others. I can only ask you to take me, Sister.”

Meifen was still hesitant, stammering, “I’ve never been out before myself; how can I take you…” She seemed unwilling to continue the conversation, adding the various powdered spices she had prepared to the mixture, then carefully scooping out a spoonful of honey from the maid and adding it, asking as she added, “Is this enough? Do we add some more?”

Yunpan had no choice but to continue, thinking there would be plenty of time, and focused on preparing the fragrances.

A pair of slender, white hands, after washing, kneaded the incense cakes, pinching off small pieces the size of a fingernail, rolling them into honey balls in her palm, and then placing them one by one into the clay jar. The graceful movement of her wrists made Meifen quite envious, clicking her tongue and saying, “This incense smells even better after your touch, Sister.”

Yunpan smiled, her eyes narrowing, “Sister, you are praising me!”

Meifen nodded repeatedly, then asked, “I’ve never made this kind of incense before. How long should it be aged before taking it out?”

Yunpan said that it would be at least a month. “The longer it’s aged, the more fragrant it becomes. When it’s ready, burn it with mica or silver leaf as a base. Zhou Zizhi once described it as ‘like being in a lonely mountain, in a garden after a snowfall,’ which shows how wonderful this incense is.”

Therefore, just for such a captivating description, she would reluctantly wait another month before opening it.

The two carefully carried the clay pot into the cabinet, meticulously closing the door. Turning around, they saw Xiang Xu enter through the door. Meifen exclaimed, “Elder Brother, did you not go to the Imperial Academy today?”

Xiang Xu, now dressed in an ivory-white robe trimmed with willow-colored lace, looked as cheerful as a bamboo shoot. He smiled and said, “It’s almost noon, so naturally my tasks are done.” As he spoke, he handed the book in his hand to Yunpan. “I heard you were making incense. I happened to have two incense recipes, so I brought them over for you.”

Yunpan flipped through a couple of pages, then exclaimed in surprise, “These are all recipes lost long ago! Truly a good book!”

Meifen’s temperament was often eccentric; she was used to sticking to the rules and unwilling to accept new things. For example, when it came to incense making, she repeatedly made Xunling Ten-Mile Fragrance and Goose Pear Tent Fragrance, never thinking of trying to make any other kind. Therefore, Xiang Xu’s incense recipes were completely useless to her.

However, although Yunpan had mentioned going to the market, she had not gone herself, but she still kept it in mind. Since Xiang Xu was there, she used this opportunity to politely decline, saying, “Si Si just arrived in the capital and has not gone out to play yet. If you are free, Elder Brother, why not take her out?”